Islamabad: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that consequences of possible disqualification of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should be “feared”.

NA Speaker expressed these views during an interview on private TV channel when asked whether government could send Chief Justice of Pakistan packing if premier was disqualified. “Fear time when such situation comes to pass. I am saying this as political worker to let go of emotions, anger, stubbornness and ego. No one knows then what will happen,” he said, adding, “What will become of country in this chaos?” His remarks come against the backdrop of stand-off between government and higher judiciary on elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Supreme Court’s pre-emptive order to render bill curtailing powers of Chief Justice of Pakistan as ineffective even once it becomes law.  Given situation, Ashraf was asked whether imposition of martial law was possibility, to which he replied, “Anything can happen. NA Speaker termed stand-off between Parliament and SC “Unfortunate”, saying that it had had deep impact on Parliament as well as politics. Regarding apex court seeking record of National Assembly proceedings from when bill aimed at clipping Chief Justice’s powers was deliberated upon and passed by house, Ashraf said issuance of directive to Parliament implied that it “Is no longer supreme”.

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 04 2023

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